Are your staff spread across the country or globe, do they need to be trained but can't afford the time in the class room? If the answer is yes, then Technology Based Learning (TBL) may be the solution you've been looking for. TBL can deliver training to your employees regardless of location and time. Here are six points that I have identified, to help guide you through the maze of implementing TBL:

1. Sponsorship;
2. Training content;
3. Relationship with the supplier;
4. Instructional design;
5. Price; and
6. Environment.

1. SPONSORSHIP

Don't underestimate the power of the leader. Senior Management sponsorship can mean the difference between a product that adds value to the organisation and something that will fast become a dinosaur. Ideally the sponsor should be a senior person within the organisation who:

• can promote the benefits that technology offers in developing staff skills;
• has a high level of influence in the organisation and can make things happen; and
• is directly responsible for the achievement of business and performance targets.

The sponsor will have the ongoing responsibility of promoting the benefits of TBL and ensuring commitment to its use from middle managers and general staff.

2. TRAINING CONTENT

Given the variety of training products available in the market place, ranging from word processing to time management, it is easy to fall in the trap of believing more is better.

Although it is important to ensure that TBL includes content relevant to your organisations need, it should not be viewed as a panacea for all training issues. Analyse the training requirement before deciding the best medium for delivery.

3. RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPPLIER

Building a good relationship with your supplier will make the implementation of TBL much smoother. Factors to consider when forming relationships with suppliers are:

• suitability of training content,
• the capacity to resolve problems as they occur; and
• ability to complete work within agreed time frames and costs.

The relationship with the TBL supplier should be a partnership that addresses the above and provides ongoing mutual benefits to the supplier and your organisation.

4. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

Training can often mean significantly different things to different people. Whilst there are a variety of strategies and methods that contribute to training or learning experiences, the most successful generally have sound underpinning principles including Adult Learning theory, recognition of learning styles and evaluation. Successful TBL should follow the same principles as any other form of training.

5. PRICE

Three hours of TBL can range in price from twenty five dollars to forty thousand dollars or above. Factors which determine the price include:

• content,
• level of support; and
• customisation of content.

Given the potential for blowing the budget and negating any possible benefits, it is important to know your requirements, overall budget and the market. In short shop around.

6. ENVIRONMENT

You need to consider the environment in which the TBL will be delivered, particularly as it can impact on different parts of your organisation. Things to be considered include:

• compatibility with current and future Information Technology systems;
• organisational approaches to training and development; and
• future business needs.